Construction cylinder



Jul 31, .1962

E. SCHLAGE CONSTRUCTION CYLINDER Filed Feb. 3, 1959 INVENTOR. ERNEST L.SCHLAGE AT TORNEVS re brats atct 3,45,??? Patented July 31, 1962 Thisinvention relates to locksets and particularly to a temporary cylinderthat is adapted to be employed in 1 the lock prior to the installationof the conventional key operated cylinder.

In the installation of locksets, especially in commercial buildings, itsometimes becomes desirable that the lockset be supplied to the buildingcontractor without the key operated cylinder.

One reason for this is that in many instances, for reasons beyond thecontrol of the lock manufacturer, the fabrication of the key operatedcylinder is delayed because the master key information required toarrange the cylinder pins in their proper coded arrangement is not madeavailable to the manufacturer until after the building constructionschedule requires lock installation. In such a case it often becomesnecessary to ship and install locksets in which the key operatedcylinder has been omitted. The obvious disadvantage of such a procedureis that, during construction of the building, dirt and dust and otherforeign matter may enter the opening in the door knob reserved for thecylinder. Furthermorqif it becomes necessary for the lock to beunlatched after installation, damage to the lock may result fromcareless manipulation of a screw driver or other tool inserted throughthe knob spindle in an attempt to retract the latchbolt.

Despite such disadvantages, security considerations also make itadvantageous to delay installation of lock cylinders until constructionis about completed. In this connection it has, heretofore, been apractice during construction to permit a contractor and his employees toborrow certain pass keys or master keys to permit entrance to rooms andoffices during construction. This procedure often results in some keysbeing lost or misplaced, and in addition exposes pass keys, master keysand perhaps even grandmaster keys to unauthorized copying, therebycompletely destroying the high degree of security built into the masterkeying system. For this reason it is extremely desirable that the stepsof installing the key operated lock cylinders be under the control ofthe building owner and that it be performed at the time the building isready for occupancy and not before.

The main object of the present invention is therefore the provision of.a temporary or construction cylinder for doorlocks which may beassembled with the lock by the manufacturer and which cylinder remainsin the lockset until building construction is completed at which timethe conventional key operated cylinder may be substituted.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a constructioncylinder which is inexpensive to make and which may be discarded when itis desired to install the permanent cylinder.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a constructioncylinder that does not interfere with the usual operation of the lockand which, in fact, may readily be unlocked by means of a screwdriver orother simple tool if this becomes necessary. I

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a constructioncylinder that is adapted for use with all locks regardless of function.

By the invention hereinafter disclosed the actual installation of thelocks is speeded up because it is only necessary that the workmaninstall the locks to suit the sched- 0 both knobs are unlocked and 'freeto rotate.

ule of lock functions and finishes and it is unnecessary for him tolocate the locks according to key number.

The use of construction cylinders of the type herein contemplated-notonly keeps probing tools, dirt and other foreign matter out of the lockmechanism, but also prevents disruption of the timing of those lockswhich provide for actuation by a key in both knobs. In this connection,when a lockset is operable by a key from both sides, the constructioncylinders are installed so that tionarily securing the constructioncylinders relative to the knob spindles the knobs always remain capableof rotation and it is impossible to move the lock mechanism to aposition, for example, in which one knob is free and the other islocked, or to any other position in which the proper timing of the lockis impaired.

In those lock functions wherein the rotation of one knob can beprevented by turning the cylinder mechanism in the opposite knob,nonrotatable construction cylinders are installed in the unlockedposition to eliminate the possibility of a person closing the door andinadvertently locking himself in or out of a room.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingspecification and from the drawings: 7

FIG. 1 is a horizontal cross section through a knob spindle showing theconstruction cylinder installed in place.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the construction cylinder its associatedclip.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the construction cylinder with itscylinder bar secured thereto for use in a six pin tumbler lock.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section similar to FIG. 3, but

and

with the cylinder bar secured in a position for use with a five pintumbler lock.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the constructioncylinder with the clip secured thereon to permit rotation of saidcylinder in the knob spindle.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but with the clip in a positionpreventing relative rotation between the cylinder and the spindle. v

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a door knob provided with the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of the clip. I

Although the invention is adapted for use with various kinds of locks,including rim locks, and other auxiliary locks, the followingdescription will be made with reference to a conventional cylindricallock for purposes of illustration.

In detail, and referring first to FIG. 1, the invention is adapted to beused in combination with a conventional lockset that includes a tubularknob spindle 1 to which is secured a knob 2 provided with a centralaperture 3 for receiving therethrough the key for operating the usualpin tumbler cylinder. The spindle 1 is provided with one or morelongitudinally extending slots 4 for receiving therein the radiallyoutwardly projecting portion of the cylinder body in which are receivedthe cylinder pins.

Also provided in the spindle 1 is the usual knob catch 6 which is urgedradially outwardly by spring 8 into a slot 7 in knob 2 for securing thelatter to the spindle. Said knob catch 6 is formed to receivetherethrough' the driver bar of the usual locking cylinder which, uponrota tion with the cylinder plug, serves to rotate :the retnactormechanism, a portion of which is shown at 9 in FIG. 1. With the driverbar or cylinder bar in its locked position it is impossible to removethe knob from the spindle since said driver bar prevents inward movementof the knobcatch to release it from the knob. Thus the knob cannot beremoved until the cylinder plug is rotated by a key. I

The construction cylinder comprises a generally cylindrical body 10 ofinexpensive material such as plastic By stav which can be thrown awayafter use. The diameter of the body 10 is slightly less than the innerdiameter of the spindle 1 so that said body may be slidably androtatably received in said spindle through the outer end of the latter.

. As best seen in FIG. 2 the inner end of body 10 is provided with apair of slots 11, 12 in perpendicular inter secting relationship. Oneslot 11 is somewhat less in depth than the other slot 12, for a purposeto be described, and the length of each slot is slightly less than thediameter of the body 10 so that a smooth outer surface is provided forrotatably engaging the inner surface of the .spindle. ,7 v V Slots 11,12 are adapted to receive therein a cylinder bar generally designated15. The bar 1 is enlarged as at 16 to a generally rectangular shape tobe snugly received in one or the other of the slots 11, 1 2. The depthof slots 11, 12 and the'length of the enlarged portion 16 of thecylinder bar 15 arepr'edetermined so that the eiiective length of theconstruction cylinder may be changed so as to substitute for either afive pin tumbler or six pin tumbler cylinder. In other words, when thebar 15 is inserted in slot 11 as shown in FIG. 3, the constructioncylinder has the same effective length as a six pin tumbler cylinder andwhen it is inserted in slot 12 (FIG. 4) it has the same efiective lengthas a shorter five pin tumbler cylinder;

7 In either event, the construction cylinder, or the portion 16 (FIG.3), is bottomed on the knob catch 6 (FIG. 1) and thebar 15 is providedwith a pair of notches 17, 18 into which the knob catch 6 is received asit is urged radially inwardly of the spindle .1 against the urgency ofspring 8. In other Words, the bar 15 does not prevent the removal orinstallation of the knob 2.

The remainder of bar 15 consists of a relatively narrow portion 19 whichis adapted to perform the same function as the cylinder bar of aconventional lock cylinder in that itenters complementarily formed slots13 in the retractor mechanism 9 so that rotational movement of theconstruction cylinder transferred to said retraetor mechanism forretracting the latch or for performing other functions of {the lock. V 7

With the construction cylinder 19 inserted in the spindle ;as shown inFIG. 1 it will be apparent that the outer end of the cylinder isreceived within the aperture 3 of the door knob '2 completely blockingthe entrance of dirt or any other foreign material therethrough. In FIG.1 the cylinder bar 15. has been inserted in slot 12 so as to simulateafive pin tumbler cylinder and it will be understood that-if the lock isdesigned for a six pin tumbler cylinder 'the arm would be inserted inslot 11in which case'the shoulders 21, 22 on the enlarged portion'16 ofthe arm would abut knob catch 6 to maintain the position of the outerface 23 of body 10 or closely adjacent aperture 3 of knob 2.

As seen in FIG. 7 the appearanceof the knob 2 with the construction plugtherein is' the same as when it is assembled with the usual lockingcylinder except that the color inf-the plastic or other materialfrom-which the construction cylinder is made may give an appearancedifferent from ordinary cylinder. In this connection it obvious that theconstruction cylinder body 10, or at least the outer face 23 thereof,may be colored to indicate that it is a construction cylinder'or may becolored in various different colorsto indicate the function of the lock,size of cylinder, or other pertinent information.

Inwardly of the outer face 23 the body 19 is provided witha peripherallyextending groove 25 which is adapted to receive therein a clip generallydesignated 26 (FIG. .2). This clip 26 comprises a pair of spaced apartlegs 27,28

joined together by a generally'rectangular radially outwardly projectingportion 29. Thele gs 27, =28 are formed in the shape of circular arcsfollowing generally the contour of the bottom of groove ZS'in-body 10 sothat the clip With the body 10 and clip 26 inserted in the spindle 1 asshown in FIG. 1 the rectangular portion 29 of clip 26 may enter one ofthe slots 4 of spindle 1 whichv are adapted to receive the projection inthe conventional cylinder body that contains the cylinder pins. In otherwords, clip 26 is held in spindle 1 against rotation relative theretowhen the portion 29 of said clip is received in one of the slots 4 (FIG.1).

The rectangular portion 29' of clip 26 is also provided with a radiallyinwardly extending tongue30 (FIG. 8) which, when the clip in theposition of FIG. 2 is inserted in groove 25, is adapted to enter adeeper. groove 32 (FIG.

5) so as to permit rotation of body 10 relative to clip Also formed inbody 10 are preferably two recesses or grooves 34 which extendlongitudinally of body 10 and are somewhat deeper than thecircumferentially extending groove 25 so as to receive therein thetongue 30 when the clip is installed in the position of FIGS. 6, 8, Insuch a case it will be apparent that the body 10 is held by tongue derplug is rotatable in the locking cylinder and spring urged to a neutralposition, the constructionplug should be applied to body 10 to permitrelative rotation between the two. as indicated at FIG. 2. However, in alockset ordinarily provided with a key cylinder which permits completerotation of the cylinder plug, without a sp ning urged return to aneutral position, the construction cylinder should be assembled with theclip so that tongue 30, of the latter is received in one of thelongitudinallyextending grooves 34 in body 10 so that relative rotationbetween struction cylinder from performing its desired function cylinderand spindle is prevented. In this manner if the lockset is assembled sothatthe knobs are unlocked and free to turn, they will always remain inthisposition: In other words, the timing of the lock will not beaffected.

7 To permit unlatching locksets equipped with rotatable constructioncylinders, a slot 36 is provided inthe outer face 23 of the body 10 toreceive a screwdriver or similar device therein (FIG; 7). It is thus asimple matter to operate the lock while the construction cylinder is-inplace without the use of a key. It will be noted that the rectangularportion 29 of clip 26 prevents removal of the cylinder through centralaperture 3 of knob 2.

If the body 10 is made of plastic, it may be convenient to connect theslot 12 that receives the driver bar 15 with the screwdriver slot 36 inorder to facilitate positioning inserts in'the mold. However, theresulting relatively small opening eX-tending'through the body 10' insuch a case does not, as a practical matter, prevent the con- V ofexcluding dirt and dust.

Obviously the screwdriver slot 36 maybe omitted if it 1 is not necessarythat the construction cylinder be-turned relative to the spindle.'hereinbefore described permits use of the cylinder for locks of allfunctions. It will also -be under'stoodthat outer facer23 may beprovided with any other suitable means to facilitate turning thecylinder in lieu of the screwdriver slot 36. i 1

In the event that the construction cylinder is not re quired to beturned in'the spindle, a radiallyoutwardly projecting extension,integral with the body 10, maybe provided 'in lieu of the rectangular,projection 29 of the clip 26. Howevenas stated before, the separate clipin anyinstallau'on. 7 r r 4 It will be understood that theinvention notnecessarily'restricted to thecylind-rical type'of lock herein'before 26has theadvantage of permitting use of the cylinder 7 However, .the'preferred form described and that it may be adapted for use with othertypes of locks including tubular locks, rim locks, padlocks or any othertype of locks employing a locking cylinder actuated by a key.

I claim:

1. In combination with a lockset that includes a doorknob spindleprovided with a longitudinally extending slot and a knob mounted on saidspindle and provided with a central aperture for receiving a keytherethrough, a construction cylinder comprising: a generallycylindrical body rotatably received in the outer end of said spindle andprovided with an outer face adapted to cover said aperture in said knobto prevent entrance of foreign material through said aperture, anextension on the inner end of said body adapted to engage the rollbackmechanism of said lockset for actuating the same upon rotation of saidbody, and means carried by said body to prevent removal of said bodythrough said aperture, said last mentioned means comprising a cliphaving a portion thereof extending radially outwardly relative to saidaperture in said knob and received in said slot in said spindle.

2. In combination with a lockset that includes a doorknob spindleprovided with a longitudinally extending slot and a knob mounted on saidspindle and provided with a central aperture for receiving a keytherethrough, a construction cylinder comprising: a generallycylindrical body rotatably received in the outer end of said spindle andprovided with an outer face adapted to cover said aperture in said knobto prevent entrance of foreign material through said aperture, anextension on the inner end of said body adapted to engage the rollbackmechanism of said lockset for actuating the same upon rotation of saidbody, said body being provided with a peripherally extending grooveadjacent said outer face, a clip adapted to be rotatably received insaid groove and provided with a radially outwardly extending projectionand received in said slot in said spindle for preventing removal of saidbody through said aperture, said body being provided with a recessadjacent said groove and said clip being provided with a lug adapted tobe received in said recess when said clip is reversed from the positionin which it is rotatable, whereby the interengagement of said lug andrecess prevents rotation of said clip relative to said body in saidreversed position.

3. A construction cylinder for a lockset having a knob mounted on a knobspindle and provided with a central aperture for receiving :a keytherethrough, said cylinder comprising: a generally cylindrical bodyrotatably received in the outer end of said spindle and provided with anouter face adapted to cover said aperture in said knob to prevententrance of foreign material through said aperture, an extension on theinner end of said body adapted to engage the rollback mechanism of saidlockset for actuating the same upon rotation of said body, and meanscarried by said body to prevent removal of said body through saidaperture, said last mentioned means comprising a clip having a portionthereof extending radially outwardly relative to said aperture in saidknob, said clip being adapted to be mounted on said body in one of twopositions, interengaging elements on said body and clip when the latteris in one of said positions for preventing relative rotation betweensaid body and said clip, said spindle being provided with a slot forreceiving said portion of said clip therein for preventing relativerotation between said spindle and clip, and said body being providedwith a peripheral groove for receiving the interengaging element of saidclip when the latter is in the other of said two positions forpermitting rotation of said body relative to said spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,395,414 Huffman Nov. '1, 1921 1,773,733 Jacobi Aug. 26, 1930 2,611,635Cerf Sept. 23, 1952 2,835,125 George May 20, 1958

